Be ready for God to shake things up

On my recent trip to Maryland, I had the great joy of rekindling a friendship with an old friend from whom time and distance had brought separation. I enjoy my friend Dwayne’s company. Oh, are we different people. If someone listened in on our conversations, they would wonder how these two guys get along.

Let’s just say we aren’t afraid of a little debate. We have two different ways of looking at the same thing. It’s not like one is wrong and one is right. Let’s call it perspective. Our conversations often involve discerning the other’s perspective. It makes us better.

The deeper satisfaction in our relationship is the lack of fear even when we disagree and get excited, we will always part friends. We don’t agree on everything. We don’t have the same opinion or approach on very many things, actually. However, when we part our minds are racing, our hearts are being molded and our faith is challenged (in a good way). Don’t think the biblical concept of “iron sharpening iron” is pain free and easy. It isn’t.

I can also assure you we have walked away not mad at each other, but frustrated for sure. It doesn’t matter. The friendship prevails. I hope all the readers of this column have one of those friendships. If not, pray for one. We need it.

Dwayne was sitting at the breakfast table (he had coffee) while I devoured my French toast. We were having a lively debate about church. We were talking about the lack of motivation among Christians to get their hands dirty in ministry.

We were talking about what seems to be a lack of understanding about the kingdom of God and his work of redemption being real now, today, not when we get to heaven. We both agreed it seems like we are sitting around waiting to go to glory, hoping God does some good stuff around us.

Dwayne made a statement that really caught my attention. He said, “We don’t need heaven anymore. We have it right here.” I briskly asked him to explain himself. He did.

His thoughts revolved around the idea that we don’t serve God because we have taken our wealth and American culture and created our own bit of heaven. Thus, we don’t grasp that desperate situation of the lost world as we sit in our manmade heavens. Basically, we have spent our resources in making heaven on earth instead of spending our resources on bringing heaven into the lives of others.

He is right. I couldn’t debate him. This has profound implications. By making our little world a bit of heaven instead of looking at the Scripture that calls our life here on earth war, the future home in glory isn’t the goal; it’s the revised version.

Our view of life has become like buying a car. We don’t do so because we need one. We do so to get the latest version with more bells and whistles. How I treat it is different than if I understand I need that car to survive.

This isn’t anything new. God’s people have had this struggle since Old Testament times. One thing happens when the body of Christ becomes too comfortable here on earth. God has a way of shaking it up.

Dwayne and I agree. Our prayers aren’t for God to keep from shaking it up. Our prayers are that we will be faithful when he does.